Photos of the city’s shoddy buses are often used by netizens in social media posts to vent their frustration
Published : 01 Apr 2024, 12:24 AM
The government is moving to take buses running for more than 20 years off the streets of Dhaka as part of efforts to curb rising air pollution.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has been asked to provide a list of such buses by Apr 8 while the Transport Owners Association will submit a plan by Apr 20 on withdrawal of unfit buses, Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said in a meeting on Sunday.
The meeting at the Secretariat discussed ways to prevent black smoke emitting from public transports, stop burning of waste, and to make builders cover construction materials – factors that are behind high air pollution.
Saber said the city corporations would take measures to prevent the burning of garbage, especially plastics.
They will also work with the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha and police to ensure that construction materials do not remain uncovered, the minister said.
If a builder fails to follow the rules, the RAJUK will cancel the construction permission, he said.
The meeting follows a recent World Bank study that found air pollution, unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene, and lead exposure cause over 272,000 annual premature deaths in Bangladesh.
Dhaka regularly ranks among the cities with the worst air quality in the world.
Photos of the city’s shoddy buses are often used by netizens in posts on social media to vent their frustration.